Alright… Looks like it’s that time again. It has been a while since my last diatribe, but the kettle is back on the boil. I would like to thank a couple of my friends for the last two comments today that are but the tip of the iceberg and have been festering all day. Years ago I learned to smile and just walk away when soccer was mocked in this country, but I guess today is different… Call it cumulative yellow cards.

I am a lucky man for many reasons. I was born in the greatest country in the world and live in the 2nd greatest country in the world. Though I am constantly told that the latter is the former. But that separate issue aside, I feel fortunate to have lived in or visited many countries with vast and varying histories, cultures and people. So I believe I live my life with something I value, a broad perspective.

I don’t remember a day when I didn’t play or love soccer. So I will not say “forgive my passion.” I will say, this explains my passion. That said I have spent most of my life in America. So I have played and have a love for many sports. From baseball to skiing to golf to ice hockey and many in between, sports have ultimately been a thread through my entire life. They say there are times in life when you never forget where you were or who you were with. The historic comeback by the Red Sox over the Yankees in the 2004 ACLS I watched every game on my parents couch. The epic 6 hour game 5, I didn’t get off that couch once. Seven months later I watched the first half of the Champions League Final (Liverpool vs. AC Milan) with Liverpool legend and my former coach, Steve Nicol. As we watched them go down 3-0 at halftime all hope seemed lost. That is until the LFC fans in Istanbul produced their halftime rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone and another historic comeback ensued. Those are in the Top 10 sports moments in my life, and I will never forget those memories. One sport I was born into, the other sport I learned to love…

That brings me to the crux of the matter, people in this country who take shots at the game of soccer. Why do they feel the need to do this? Lack of understanding, ignorance, not enough hugs as a child??? But what gets me is when we defend our sport we become “angry soccer guy.” We are labeled as “5’7” cigarette smoking and with a French accent” saying “you don’t understand our sophisticated game” if I may quote one of my favorite radio hosts. Forgive us for defending something we feel passionate about or even trying to educate you with an answer to your mocking. To those people, let me ask you; are there people taking shots at your favorite sport, en masse? Whole media outlets even? I don’t need you to think that soccer is the best sport in the world. That is my opinion; I don’t need it to be yours. Just don’t take shots or make fun of something you didn’t take the time to learn about. Ultimately, that actually speaks more about you than anything else.

What makes it worse is when it is broadcast out to the masses. Recently an announcer working on the NHL playoffs on NBC doing an MLS promo repeatedly called out soccer players for being divers. That is just bad business and embarrassing for an announcer promoting something on his own network to make fun of it. This highlights another side of my point, that such negative soccer coverage has seemingly created this “angry soccer guy.” Recently during game 1 of the Western Conf. Finals, I had a tweet ready to go making fun of the fact that in the NBA the string-pulling coach needed to call a timeout and remind his team (who were losing) to “take better shots, good passes… how about a little nasty?” These are professional athletes in one of the biggest games of their lives needing simple reminders. Not something that happens in my game. Ironically, the “nasty” speech has become a rallying cry in San Antonio and better judgment as usual held me from hitting ‘send.’ Next time, their coach should point at each of them and remind them of their salaries, “$21 million” “$12 million” “$13 million.” Again, that is my point. While I love baseball, at times the constant attack on soccer has caused me to think of things I don’t like about it (insert fried chicken & beer joke here) or when I hear “soccer is boring” when there is literally only 12 minutes of action in an NFL game. But I don’t say those things because I have a little perspective and a great appreciation for all sports and the skill needed to perform them. I don’t attack other sports, I don’t want to be “angry soccer guy,” but sometimes we are almost pushed to it.

One of the aforementioned friends today equated a recent diving outbreak in the NBA to soccer. Another made fun of the title (friendly) of a game putting the country I know for a fact he is proud to be from against the always entertaining Brazil. Diving, I will get to in a minute. First I will address the comment of a “friendly” and my friend saying that iterated ‘no reason to watch.’ He called it “reason 1,376 why soccer is annoying.” This belies my point of ignorance. Would a comment be made if he knew that the U.S. was gearing up for World Cup Qualifiers? Does anyone make fun of “Spring Training” or NFL preseason games with 3rd stringers? Oh, so they are getting players who play on numerous club teams together and preparing to represent their national team. Yeah, I love America, but soccer is stupid so just call me when they are in the quarterfinals of that World Cup thing.

Now to my other friend and the ever too oft referenced “diving.” I will start that this was prefaced with “no offense, but…” I always found the use of “no offense” funny, because it excuses what is coming next as “I don’t mean to offend” but I kind of do. This good friend of mine, to be fair has expressed interest in the game and admits his knowledge level. Yet he did make the comment, to which now he will bare my retort. Sure there are those that dive, eh hem, Mr. Drogba. But there are “issues” with every sport. Drawing contact in the NBA is akin to said “diving,” but I will not highlight issues in other sports other than address diving in soccer. It exists, certain countries have a culture of it, most don’t. It is just that those who don’t understand the game take that primarily as what the game is about and it gets the spotlight on it. Particularly and especially with events like the World Cup when the mass audience tune in. When talking heads create the pervasive message equating soccer as a bunch of divers, the novice American fan just tuning in only has more fuel to mock something that they clearly are not educated on. And that is sad. A full-time opinion with part-time information is not a good thing, anywhere in life.

McConville playing in League of Ireland

The larger reality of soccer is the fast hard tackling game of skill and endurance I know and grew up with. When I played in the League of Ireland, if you stood on the ball for a split second too long, someone was going to come through you and the ball. You had to know what you were going to do with the ball before you got it and have the ability to pull it off. To that, I always say if any of my American friends ever want to spend 5 minutes with me and a ball, they are welcome to it. And then they can call soccer soft if they want when they get to their feet.

Let me be clear, I love sports. To me, they are the ultimate theater. But I love one above all. It has given me most of what I have today. And unfortunately I spend a lot of time biting my tongue when my sport is sullied. I guess today was different. This chance to put down these words will have little effect on those of whom I am speaking, but once again I at least feel better having gotten this out. I can start anew in deflecting those comments for which I have become so accustomed. Ignorance is bliss for those spewing nonsense… but not for those who know better and have to listen.

good job Mac, I'll go 5 min w you!! As long as we can hit the Wharf later for some Bud lites

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ctsoccer13

6/8/2012 03:16:58

First off, I'm born and bred in the US but my parents are right off the boat. Some comments by sports analysts are just there for entertainment. They believe by saying these "funny" comments about soccer are good for a little shock jock value and brings them some attention. I don't want soccer to be in the "top 3" sports of the US. I've resigned myself that it never will be. Too much money to be lost by the others to let it happen. I'm content playing and watching. I would just like more coverage of it which I think would bring about a larger appreciation for it. Instead of the token 5 minutes on SportsCenter or whatever maintstream media is covering it that day. It's slowly starting to happen with ESPN carrying games and UEFA Euros will be good.

It's funny to watch some professional athletes try something as simple as kicking a penalty kick. Toe poking it wide and the awkward kick and body positioning. That's the easy part! Try trapping a ball, heading, blocking shots, chipping, passing, slide tackles, off the ball runs, etc. When's the last time you saw a soccer player run down the field 80 yards and then come off the field to rest and have some oxygen? Yet you see it every other down in US football. The US has a superiority complex and that goes back to its sports. If we don't win the World Cup it's because our best athlete's play the "real" sports. The MLB World Series? Really? Is all the world competing? Ummm. No.

I played in college and remember a game similar to what you talked about. A freshmen on my team had the ball. Tried dribbling for a little and found himself flat on his face. The guy took the ball, got a lot of man, passed it away and leaned over to the guy and said "welcome to college soccer". I laughed when he told me about it. Flopping is a part of every game. Drawing a foul and giving your team an advantage. Baseball has people faking they got hit (Jeter anyone!) and flops in basketball. Cheating is in football. There's holding on every play yet only some are called. The number of bone crushing tackles outweigh the number of dives, but the highlights on SportsCenter only show the dives. Why? Sensationalism. I could go on forever. Soccer (the real football!) isn't called The Beautiful Game for no reason. And it's truly the world's sport with so many socioeconomic roots.

Now I play in my O40 league and still love the game. I get to watch my kids play and see how much they enjoy it. I've matured enough to stop trying to convince people that they are missing out on something. That just misdirects my energy away from soccer and my appreciation for it.

On another note. I loved your take and look forward to reading more.

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Andrew McConville

A High School All-American at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, CT, who played collegiately at Providence College. McConville played professionally for the Boston Bulldogs in USL Soccer and Monaghan United in League of Ireland. Later in life, an Emmy award winning associate producer at the 2010 World Cup.